Average Price Of Web Design

Getting a price for a website design might make you feel more confused than a chameleon in a box of smarties.

Luckily there was some research was done that will at least give you an idea of what to expect… the question raised:

“How much should I expect to pay for a standard 5-page business website?”

A couple of years back a comprehensive survey was done by website-design.co.za to find out what is the average cost of a website in South Africa.

In a nutshell, they contacted over 400 website design companies and asked them to quote on a standard 5-page website. They then took an average over the hundreds of responses to come up with a few final figures…

The Results

Those are the results from hundreds of quotes averaged out. This is great because now you know more or less what you can expect to pay for a brand new website.

So what does the ‘Good’, ‘Ok‘ and ‘Bad’ mean?

This is this what the author had to say:

… Good Web Designers – Their own websites and portfolios were testament to the quality of their web designs.

… Ok Web Designers – These were companies who could provide a product that wasn’t broken or flawed in any major way, but had no pizazz in the aesthetic department. Basically a bit of a yawn, but at least its workable.

… Bad Web Designers – These companies had websites that were so ugly, they should come with a warning for permanent retinal damage and emotional scarring. Ok, I’m being melodramatic, but you get the point.

So what they are saying is:

If you want a ‘Good’ website expect to pay around R10 000…

If you want an ‘OK’ website expect to pay around R7000…

If you want a ‘BAD’ website expect to pay around R5000…

Ok so that is the end result, here are some of my personal observations:

Be careful this is only an average

It’s really interesting to know what the average market rates are for website design in South Africa. But it’s super important to remember these are averages.

If you spend R5000 on a website design it does not mean you will get a bad website. There are plenty of good companies who will do a fine job for R5000 or less if the site is straightforward.

The same goes for spending R10 000, just because you spend R10 000 does not necessarily mean your site will be super great. There are plenty of guys who will overcharge you and deliver a poor product.

The reason that there is such a wide range is that it’s so easy to start a ‘website design’ company. Added to this there are no associations or memberships that control quality.

But do not fear!

A bit of investigating and you can pretty easily weed out the guys who are going to actually cause you more harm than good.

This is how…

How to choose a Web Designer that gives you a GREAT website

The last thing you need is to spend your money, and more importantly your TIME, on a website that sucks. (I know because many of our clients come to us with half-finished sites and handfuls of pulled out hair)

Your reputation is on the line here so let’s get this right.

Here are the questions you need to be asking:

– How long have they been in business? More than 2 years is ideal.

– How many websites have they successfully completed? There should be at least 30 online to view.

– Ask to view at least 10 current website designs and make sure you like them.

– Are they a one man band? This is not a deal breaker but if possible look for a company that more than just 1 person. (Its a safer bet and more likely they are an established business.)

Last tip: Look for a company that is going to help you with the content… writing content and spoon feeding a designer is a pain in the A**

If you find somebody who is willing to go the extra mile and help you with the content and website strategy grab them.

Grab our latest price list

Thanks to website-design.co.za for taking the time to create this awesome survey.

But as I said things are not always as they seem. So if you are looking for a web design company I urge you to have a careful look at their portfolio and also chat with them on the phone.